Spring in Jade Pavilion (EN)
Frühling im Jadehaus (DE)
玉楼春 (CH)
Book bought from the book store in Pergamon Museum Berlin
More than 200 Chinese classical poetry between B.C. 200 to 1279 is collected in this little book.
Because Ruan Ji (210-263) is my favourite poet and my favourite poem “夜中不能寐yè zhōng bù néng mèi” of Ruan Ji is included, so I think this book has a good taste of poetry collection. 😉 I know, I am giving a review out of favouritism.
It is very challenging to translate classical Chinese into modern Chinese, moreover in another language. For example:
怒 / angry / Mich packt die Wut
发 / hair / Die Haare stehen steil
冲冠 / spike up the hat / Der Hut geht hoch
Yeah, you’ve got what it means, but my English translation does not show the aesthetic of poetry language. This problem apply for some of the translation in this book, I feel very sorry about the translation of the “Leyouyuan” (pg 137). Still, the translation in this book can make us understand about the meaning of each poetry, I appreciate that.
If you are new to Chinese poetry, you can start with Li Bai’s Silent night thoughts/ 静夜思 / Eine stille Nacht. English translation:
The bright moonlight before my bed; its shimmering shine is like frost on the ground.
I raise my head look at the bright moon, then lower it, thinking of my home.
床前明月光，疑是地上霜。举头望明月，低头思故乡。
With the vast amount of Chinese classical poetry available, it is very subjective as to which poems should be included in a poetry collection. On the whole, the main poems are collected in it and it is a good book to share my favourite Chinese classical poetry with my German friends.